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Ramaswamy to roll out trucking policy at Iowa 80

Truck drivers will share concerns about industry at the event

Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks to supporters at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 12.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican presidential candidate, will host an event at Iowa 80 on Dec. 21 that’s all about the American trucking industry and its workers. 

According to a Thursday press release, Ramaswamy will roll out his “official trucking policy” at the event. Members of CDL Drivers Unlimited, a new membership alliance for truck drivers, will share “concerns about trucking-related issues” at the event too. 

It’s unusual for presidential candidates to specifically target the truck driver community, even though federal data says there are more than 2 million tractor-trailer truck drivers in the United States. 

In the release, Ramaswamy emphasized last year’s Freedom Convoy, in which hundreds of truck drivers blocked Ottawa and other parts of Canada to protest vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers, and Canada’s response to that protest, which includes charges like mischief and obstructing police, for more than 140 people.

“Truckers are a crucial link in the American supply chain that power America’s economy. They’re not just haulers of goods — they’re the guardians of freedom on our highways,” Ramaswamy said in the release. “Last year, we watched as the ‘Freedom Convoy’ in Canada unmasked the perils of government overreach — speech was censored, peaceful protesters were arrested, and big banks froze personal funds. Those Canadian truckers taught the world a valuable lesson about the power of civil protest against an out-of-control totalitarian government. On Thursday, Dec. 21, join me at Iowa 80, the World’s Largest Truckstop, where I will lay out my detailed plan for how we support our truckers and ensure freedom for all.”

Recent polls suggest that former President Donald Trump is by far the leading Republican candidate among the GOP electorate. Morning Consult, one leading pollster, found that 67% of likely voters who are Republican would vote for Trump, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (13%), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (10%) and Ramaswamy (6%).


7 Comments

  1. Concerned Citizen

    All these crazy dreams about $4.00 a mile and $100.00 for waiting time, are exactly that, pipe-dreams. Do things need to get better for truckers? Absolutely, but Ramaswamy is going to be the last person I look to for a solution. This guy is a total nutjob and in support of Trump. Anyone thinking this guy has your best interest at heart should get their head examined. If you listen to his “rhetoric” enough, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. He’s not here to bring folks together, he’s here to cause contention and drive people apart. No pun intended. F*ck this clown!

  2. Greg Scholz

    The 4 $ a mile might be a tick high but not by much
    I’m a construction belly dump operator and I get 140-150 an hr in the summer or about 7-8 months of the year 50 hrs a week is common 60 many weeks to me that’s good money
    Winter comes I go OTR and what a f——— joke it is I went after my authority what a night mare
    And then these factoring companies and brokers getting your number off the fmsca site and cslling non stop is very very very aggravating
    Then as stated above fuel is high that all can’t be put in the o/o hands And some company’s want to pay in 20 -30days We are not bankers then should be no need for factoring companies taking my money that I worked for
    If companies are in business and need trucks they need to put the trucks much higher on their priority list and have reasonable loading and unloading capiabilitys to do so is a timely fashion as OTR o/o and drivers do not get paid for sitting
    I’m sitting waiting to unload as I write this
    The fact is if truckers organized and did it honestly not as in the teamsters we could be one of strongest organizations out the rival and stronger than the NRA One reason I believe we are not paid any mind is truckers don’t vote
    And from my experience in the business of about 40 years most guys are go with the flow you need to stand up and say you pay me this companies need you more than you need them just bout every business in this USA needs truck one way or the other I could go on and on but k think finally these guys showed up to work and are going to unload me

  3. Waring Howe

    Carolyn $4.00 a mile is highway robbery even on Christmas eve. You need to redo your company’s operation cost if that is the number you are ending up with.

  4. Carolyn Watson

    Thank you!!! The warehouses and brokers dont have ANY respect for truckers. Sometimes we spend 8 hours trying to get unloaded and have to cancel our loads for the week and rebook. Also, the rate for freight needs to be increased, there are loads for 88 cents a mile – really. We suggest mileage rates no lower than $4.00 a mile PLUS extra based on the weight PLUS any time the truck is held up the driver should get no less than $100 hour. We are speaking as owner operators, when Trump was in the whitehouse things were great – the Biden administration has managed to put many companies out if business. I dont think the brokers and people with the freight understand the price for fuel and the cost for maintenance and parts. ABEL Trucking…

  5. TR Sorvlet

    Good to see a politician talking an interest in our industry…many can talk…talk is cheap. His comments will be interesting to hear.

    OOIDA doesn’t help…they hurt drivers. Let’s all say…”Conflict of Interest!” They take money from trucking co.s and truck stops (our enemies)…advertising dollars in their magazine! Therefore they can’t call for a strike and are powerless! Another way they hurt us- Washington thinks they are The Advocate for trucking and won’t listen anyone else…who’s intentions/ ideas might be good and helpful!

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Rachel Premack

Rachel Premack is the editorial director at FreightWaves. She writes the newsletter MODES. Her reporting on the logistics industry has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Vox, and additional digital and print media. She's also spoken about her work on PBS Newshour, ABC News, NBC News, NPR, and other major outlets. If you’d like to get in touch with Rachel, please email her at [email protected] or [email protected].